First, the news you’ve been waiting for: Burrito is back with his group! It’s been two weeks to the day since his encounter with the rattlesnake.
I’m going to be completely honest here. I thought we were going to lose him the day that he was bitten. I also thought we were going to lose him those many months ago when the big conflict that ended our attempts at integrating the groups occurred.
I’m not the most optimistic of people, so take that into consideration (I can picture J.B. giving me a look that says, “you don’t say?!”).
Burrito, however, seems to be an optimist with an incredible will to live. That, combined with an amazing staff and quick-acting veterinarian in Dr. Erin, who has a whole network of medical professionals on speed dial (a particularly grateful shout-out to anesthetist Dalila Fairchild), gave me hope.
What was truly heartwarming, however, was the immediate outpouring of support you all showed, which carried over into last week’s HOOT! virtual event. I really just can’t get over it. THANK YOU!!! You all remind me that there are good, no, not just good, but great people in this world who truly care and take action when needed. It was the bounty of love, even more than the financial contributions, that was so moving.
Anyway, enough of my yammering, here are some awesome photos of the day, most of them taken by Anna and J.B
First order of business for Burrito on the hill: approach Jody for some reassurance:
which she deftly provided, even while managing a bounty of cabbage leaves (thanks, Krissy!)
Burrito decided to stick close to Jody for a bit:
Then he ventured towards Negra, who gave him a reassuring extended arm gesture:
Negra’s bounty was kale:
Appropriately reassured, Burrito settled into foraging on his own:
Later in the day, it was time for the other group to have access to the Courtyard. To carry the theme of this blog post, I noticed that there was a bounty of grapes hidden under the grape vines on that side of the building.
Here’s a photo of the vines with Honey B at the top of the chute in the background:
Here’s what I picked in just 20 minutes:
Willy B was watching my activity from the Courtyard, so of course grapes were on the menu as part of dinner:
I hope you experienced a bounty of something good this past week too.
Oh how happy I am for Burrito, his group of caring “sisters”, and his team of wonderful caregivers! I love reading your blogs and seeing how they interact and comfort each other, Burrito is well looked after!
I also have to say how much I adore Negra, what an absolute dear sweet lady. Thank you all for everything that you do for these wonderful animals,
Respectfully yours,
Caroline
P.S, love to those beautiful cows too!
Thank you, Caroline! Negra can certainly be sweet. Maybe I should have mentioned that later on in the day Burrito did something to irritate Negra (I’m not sure what), and she threw wood chips at him :). They have their aggravated moments too, of course. I actually took a couple of photos of those beautiful cows today too but decided the photos were not blog-worthy. We love them too!
Hah, too funny! Thank you for these stories and videos, they absolutely fill my heart with love and joy! Thank you and your team again for everything that you do for them, our lives are richer with them in this world.
Stay well and stay safe,
Much appreciation and respect,
Caroline
Thank you, Thank you for the update(s) & photos. Made my day!?
You are welcome, Marie! I’m very glad to have made your day.
Diana, thanks for confirming our hope that Burrito would be released from his confinement today. We had burritos for lunch in a hopeful pre celebration. It was wonderful to see him back on Young’s Hill.
Jody may not win every forage (didn’t see everyone haul today) but she was remarkable gathering cabbage. Tickle treatment nursing is not her only skill. In another forage or two, Burrito will be giving her serious competition again. Thanks for sharing.
Haha – burritos for lunch in his honor! Jody was definitely the winner of the forage.
that’s the thing about Jo….even if she doesnt “win” the forage, she always seems to feel like she has! Always so happy with herself!
Wonderful news about Burrito and fabulous pictures too. Amazing grapes. Diana hope you can all sleep better tonight.
Thank you Arlene. I did indeed sleep better. Waking up to blue skies and sun rather than smoke really makes a difference too.
First of all, those grapes look might tasty! I love the pictures of the chimps carrying their bounty back in their mouths, I feel like that at times. I’m also so happy that Burrito is back with his pals and doing well.
They are delicious! I even like the sour underripe green ones.
Oh Burrito, it does my heart good to see you back where you belong. Thank goodness. It looks as if Nurse Jody is still on the job, Burrito appears to be velcroed to her side. Or perhaps he’s hoping Jody will share some of those enormous cabbage leaves with him (those leaves are almost as big as Jody!). And Negra must be a nurses aide, reassuring Burrito making him feel loved. After that snake encounter, I would be too scared to venture out on the hill by myself. Mr. B is truly amazing in so many ways. Burrito is silly, adorable, goofy, and charming. Burrito is strong. Resilient. And after all he has been through in his life, he’s brave. He is a survivor. I am so grateful he is who he is.
And Burrito is lucky because he has all of you in his life — he knows you’ve got his back..
Burrito is for sure a survivor. I am trying to channel his positive spirit today.
I am so glad our boy is back with his harem !
Poor Diana, I knew you felt that way, I’m constantly amazed by the resilience
of these special Chimps, they have been through so much in their lives,
They totally deserve to have all the fun, hope, and love in the world.
And you give it to them. Thank you.
Thank you, CeeCee – I guess I’m not masking any of my anxiety :). Their resiliency is such an inspiration. Thank you for being a part of the fun, hope and love in their lives!
Yea Burrito! So happy [and relieved] to see you out and about, finally. It’s wonderful to see Jody and Negra giving Burrito a reassuring touch.
(Sigh)…this post and these photographs are so heartening to read and view. I, too, was so worried two weeks ago about Burrito. It is so good to see him back outside, in time for the autumn harvest. I also hope that the air is clearing and the temperatures are cooling over Young’s Hill.
Tobin – I forgot to include the clear air as part of the bounty of the day. We had a long rainstorm on Friday night and awoke to clear skies. It was like a whole different world. And just in time for Burrito’s release.
Such wonderful news! So very happy to hear Burrito is back on the Hill. Loved the post with all the pictures of the beautiful chimps. Thank you all for the amazing care you give them.
Thank you, Mary!
This was the heart-warming and happy news I needed to see and read about on this otherwise very sad weekend. You all do such good and necessary work. Thank you!
Thank you, Donna.
What glorious news to see Burrito out on the hill with the ladies. The photos are fabulous and capture the joy our whole community feels right now. Burrito is a resilient guy and it helps so much that he has so many who care for him. We all need some good news right now and this made my day.
Thanks, Pam! It’s really wonderful for me to be the bearer of good news!
Thank you for your wonderful post Diana. It was so good to hear about Burrito’s rerun and needinG reassurance. I’m so glad Burrito has such a love of life and will to live. We love and need him.
How we’re all those grapes picked in just 20 minutes?!? That one shocked me lol.
Thank you, Jeani. I’m very good at grape picking 🙂
Thanks for the update, Diana!
Jo’s forage face as triumphant as ever!
Those grape photos look amazing! Hope you kept 1 or 2 bunches to sample!
Continuing with Kathleen’s comment…did Bubba seem at all nervous about returning to “the scene?”
Linda – I couldn’t help but sample the grapes, and they did not disappoint. Burrito was a little nervous at first, but its hard to say it was due to his last time on the hill since he might have also been a little nervous just going back with the group for the first time. He relaxed pretty quickly out there.
🙂
I wish I could send them some champagne grapes….
Burrito is indeed a survivor. He falls (often) but gets right back up. I really feel that he has too much to live for to be taken out yet. He’s enjoying being alive in such a wonderful place. I’m also of the firm belief that things that seem bad at the time often prove to be blessings. It seems, at least from my outside perspective, that the big conflict may have been such a moment as Burrito now seems to have energy he didn’t have before.
It’s heartwarming to see him back out in the sunshine with the girls and to know that he’s teaching you and maybe others out there how to be a bit more optimistic and resilient.
I’m also so relieved that Burrito’s escapade w/ the snake didn’t take more of a physical toll and that he’s back with the women being himself. I know we all appreciate the frequent updates from you, Diana, and JB and all the staff about his progress and prognosis as things evolved. I’d imagine it will take quite a long time before chimp screamings from outside don’t give you all a powerful adrenalin rush!
P.S. Forgot to say — Gorgeous grapes! Looks like a pic in a food magazine. I’m sure they are grateful every time they get to eat these succulent grapes!
I just cannot express what wonderful beings you all are. Humans and Chimps. Poor Burrito, I am so glad that he is feeling better. What a traumatic experience. The Chimps are very understanding. Will you ever be able to put the two groups together?
I am so relieved to see Burrito BACK with the gang! It has been a difficult time, and we were all so worried about him. I have to say even my brother asked me how he was doing when I called him on Saturday. he truly is remarkable, and I can’t thank all of you for the help you gave him so quickly. I am so happy today!
Catching up on the Blog which I also want to thank you for, it is simply the best.
Oh Burrito, just so incredibly happy that he is feeling good again and back with his family, he is such a special boy and Jody is just the BFF ever. I love watching them all wondering through the golden fields, beautiful.
Negra, could you be any more enduing, she is just like your favorite nanna 🙂
Was a fun Hoot this year and so happy for the success